CIHM 
Microfiche 


(l\/lonographs) 


ICIVIH 

Collection  de 
microfiches 
(monographies) 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microraproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microraproductions  historiquas 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notts  /  Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attentpted  to  obtain  the  best  original 
copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this  copy  which 
may  be  bibliographically  unique,  which  may  alter  any 
of  the  images  in  the  reproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  change  the  usual  metttod  of  filming,  are 
checked  below. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire  qu'il 
lui  a  M  possible  de  se  procurer.   Les  details  de  cet 
exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-4tre  uniques  du  point  de  «ue 
bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier  une  image 
reproduite.  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une  modification 
dans  la  mithode  normale  de  f  ilmage  sont  indiqufa 
ci-dessous. 


□  Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


D 


Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagie 


□  Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restauree  et/ou  pellicula 


DS 


Cover  title  missing/ 

titre  de  couverture  manque 


D 
D 
D 

D 


D 


n 


Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relie  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serrte  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge  interieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may  appear 
within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these  have 
been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  etait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  ete  filmees. 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentalres  supplementaires: 


□  Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

□  Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagies 

□  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restauraes  et/ou  pelliculies 

0  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  decolorees,  tacheties  ou  piquees 

□  Pages  detached/ 
Pages  detachies 


0 


D 
D 


Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualite  inigale  de  I'impression 

Continuous  pagination/ 
Pagination  continue 

Includes  index(es)/ 
Comprend  un  (des)  index 

Title  on  header  taken  from:/ 
Le  titre  de  I'en-tCte  provient: 


tie  page  of  issue/ 
Page  de  titre  de  la  livraison 


|— |Ti 
I 1  Pa 

□  Caption  of  issue/ 
Titre  de  depart  de  la  livraison 

□  Masthead/ 
Generique  (periodiques)  de  la  livraison 


This  Item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filme  au  taux  de  reduction  indique  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X 


22X 


26  X 


30X 


/ 


12X 


1«X 


20X 


24  X 


28  X 


32  X 


The  copy  filmed  h«r«  has  b««n  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  gonarosity  of: 

Victoria  University,  Toronto 
E.J.  Pratt  Library 

Tha  Imagas  appearing  hare  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  Iceeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specif icationa. 


L'exemplaire  film4  fut  reproduit  grice  A  la 
ginirositi  da: 

Victoria  University,  Toronto 
E.J.  Pratt  Library 

Las  images  suivantes  ont  ati  reproduites  svec  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compts  tenu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nettet*  de  I'exempleire  film*,  et  en 
conformity  avac  lea  conditions  du  contrst  de 
fiimege. 


Originel  copies  in  printed  peper  covers  ere  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  end  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illuatratad  impree- 
sion.  or  the  beck  cover  when  eppropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  pege  with  a  printed  or  illustrsted  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  e  printed 
or  illuatrated  impression. 


Lee  exemploires  originsux  dont  la  eouverture  ^n 
pepier  eat  imprimie  sont  filmis  en  commencant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
darni*re  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  las  sutrss  exemplaires 
origineux  sont  filmis  en  commencant  par  la 
pramiare  pege  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impreasion  ou  d'illustration  at  en  termin.^nt  par 
la  darniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  eech  microfiche 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  ^•^'  (meening  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meening  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  dee  symboles  suivants  spparaitra  sur  la 
darniAre  imege  de  cheque  microfiche,  salon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  —^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  stc,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  lerge  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hend  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bonom.  as  msny  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diegrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Lea  cartes,  plenches,  tabKaux,  etc..  peuvent  etre 
filmas  A  des  taux  de  raduction  diffarents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  atra 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  filmi  S  partir 
de  Tangle  supirieur  gauche,  de  gauche  i  droits. 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  an  prenant  la  nombre 
d'images  nacsssaire.  Las  diagrammas  suivants 
illustrant  la  mAthoda. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

1.0 


I.I 


••»   -.„     mil  2.0 


I 


1.8 


11.25 


1.4 


1.6 


MICROCOPY  RESOLUTION  TEST  CHART 

NATIONAL  BUREAU  OF  STANDARDS 

STANDARD  REFERENCE  MATERIAL  1010a 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


Wesley's  System  of  Medicine 


BY 


WILLIAM  RENWICK  RIDDELL,  LL.U.,  V.  B.  S.  (Edin.). 

TORONTO,  ONTARIO 


Reprinted  from  The  New  i'urk  Medical  Journal  for 
January  lo,  1914. 


» 


^«^l 


ill 


«i 


Reprinted  from  the  Sew  York  Medical  Journal  for 
January  lo,  1914. 


WESLEY'S  SYSTEM  OF  MEDICINE. 

By  The  Honorable  William  Renwick  Riddell, 

B.  Sc,  F.  B.  S.,  Edin., 

Toronto,  Canada. 


Thf ' 
ism,  ' 
his  •  - 
Har      • 
prac 
in   174; 


leV^tert  John  Wesley,  founder  of  Method- 
nfine  his  attention  to  preaching ;  like 
r  in  divinity,  the  Reverend  Doctor 
wrote  and  published  a  book  on  the 
.iicdici-.o.  The  first  edition  was  issued 
...  .,,,,  shortly  jefore  his  first  and  memorable 
visit  to  Ireland ;  and  at  least  three  subsequent  edi- 
tions appeared  during  his  lifetime.  After  his 
death,  in  1791,  the  work  continued  to  be  reissued 
from  time  to  time  and  had  great  vogue  among  his 
followers.  A  copy  still  turns  up  now  and  then; 
my  own  was  pnnted  at  Leeds  "near  the  old 
Church"  by  George  Wjlson,  in  1813,  and  purports 
to  be  "a  new  edition."  The  work  is  entitled  Pnmi- 
tive  Physic  or  an  Easy  and  Natural  Method  of 
Curing  most  Diseases,  by  John  Wesley,  M.  A.,  and 
contains  an  alphabetical  list  of  diseases  or  dis- 
orders, 288  in  all,  with  their  appropriate  remedies, 
824  in  number. 

In  his  preface,  the  reverend  author  attributes  all 
sickness  to  Adam's  fall :  "The  heavens,  the  earth 
and  all  things  contained  therein  conspire  to  punish 
the  rebels  against  their  Creator ;  the  sun  and  moon 
shed  unwholesome  influences  from  above ;  the  earth 
exhales  ix>isonous  damps  from  beneath ;  the  beasts 
of  the  field,  the  birds  of  the  air.  the  fishes  of  the 
sea  are  in  a  state  of  hostility,  the  air  itself  that  sur- 
rounds us  on  every  side  is  replete  with  the  shafts 
of  death;  yea,  t!'»  food  we  eat  daily  saps  the 
foundation  of  that  life  which  cannot  be  sustained 
without  it." 

Copyright,    1914,  by  A.   R.    Elliott   Publishing  Company. 


I       i 


i; 


Ridden :  Wesley's  Sysltm  of  Medicint. 

He  thinks  that  physicians  have  unduly  imported 
various  kinds  of  learning  into  their  practice,  and 
that  simple  remedies,  the  value  of  which  is  known 
by  experience,  may  be  taught  to  the  common  peo- 
ple.    He  gives  accordingly  a  loner  list  of  diseases 
with  the  remedies  appropriate  to  each;  he   sets 
"down  in  most  cases  several  remedies  for  each  dis- 
order, not  only  because  all  are  not  equally  easy  to 
be  procured  at  all  times  and  in  all  places,  but  like- 
wise because  the  medicine  which  cures  one  man  will 
not  slways  cure  another  of  the  same  distemper,  nor 
will  It  cure  the  same  man  at  all  times,  therefore  it 
is  necessary  to  have  a  variety."     He  recommends 
using  first  that  which  is  placed  first  on  the  list,  and 
if  that  fails,  using  the  others  in  succession;  but  he 
marks  with  an  I  "those  medicines  which  some  think 
to  be  infallible."    "In  a  complication  of  disorders, 
he  says,  "you  would  do  well  to  apply  to  a  physician 
that  fears  God."     In  the  preface  to  the  editions  of 
1755  and  1780  he  repeats  this  advice:    "In  com- 
plicated cases  or  where  life  is  in  immediate  danger, 
let  everyone  apply  without  delay  to  a  Physician  that 
fears  God ;  from  one  who  does  not— be  his  fame 
ever  so  great — I  should  expect  a  curse  rather  than 
a  blessing."    This  tenderness  of  conscience  (which 
some  would  call  bigotry),  forbidding  the  employ- 
ment of  any  but  a  Godfearing  physician,  was  not 
at  all  to  be  wondered  at ;  many  of  his  immediate 
disciples  "felt  that  they  could  not  go  to  the  Lord's 
Table  where  the  clergyman  -"as  a  worldly  man; 
others  went,  but  with  much  fear  and  doubt."    No 
doubt  Wesley  knew  of  and  believed  in  the  proverb, 
Ubi  tres  Medici,  ibi  diio  Haeretici. 

As  was  to  be  expected,  the  author  has  not  got 
quite  out  of  the  realm  of  magic.  An  Ague  ma.y  be 
cured  by  a  bag  of  Groundsell  worn  on  the  pit  of 
the  stomach  or  by  "six  middling  pills  of  Cobwebs," 
or  by  applying  to  the  wrists  a  plaster  made  of 
Yarrow  boiled  in  new  milk,  or  a  "plaister  of  treacle 
and  foot,"  the  dregs  of  oil  after  refining. 
Cramp    may    be    prevented     by    ''ying    a     roll 


fi 


Hidden :  U\-sl.\s  Sysliin  of  Mcdicmt. 

of    brimstone    under    the    pillow,    and    cured    by 
holding  a  roll  of  brimstone  in  the  hand.     "I  have 
frequently,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "done  this  with  suc- 
cess."   Applying  green  dock  leaves  to  the  joints  and 
soles  of  the  feet,  changing  them  once  a  day,  is 
sovereign  for  the  Dropsy ;  while  laying  a  thin  shcc 
of  raw  beef  on  the  nape  of  the  neck  is  a  tried 
remedv  for  "hot  or  sharp  Humours."    In  case  of  a 
Fever,'  "smear  the  w.ists  five  or  six  inches  long 
with  warffi  treacle  and  cover  it  with  brown  paper," 
or  "apply       ^.c".e  nlaisters  to  the  head  and  the  soles 
of  the  feel    :hanging  them  every  twelve  hours" ;  a 
Delirium  is  oft*-",  cured  by  applying  a  treacle  plaister 
to  the  top  of  ihe  head;  for  Gout  in  foot  or  hand, 
apply  a  raw  lean  beef   steak,  changing  it   every 
twelve  hours,  this  is  a  tried  remedy;  for  Jaundice, 
wear  leaves  of  celandine  upon  and  under  the  feet. 
Celandine  (Chelidonium)  is  still  used  as  a  chola- 
gogue  in  jaundice,  but  internally.    To  prevent  the 
bite  of  a  viper,  "rub  the  hands  with  the  juice  of 
radishes."    "Scrape  peony  roots  fresh  digged.    Ap- 
ply what  you  have  scriped  off  to  the  soles  c.f  the 
feet.     It  helps  immediately  in  Convulsions  in  chil- 
dren.     Tried."      For    :   e    Iliac    Passio.i    (ileus, 
volvulus),    Wesley    approves    Doctor    Sydenham's 
treatment:    "hold  a  live  puppy  constmtly  on  the 
belly."  *     This,  however,  may  '  e  quite  reasonable 
as  supplying  a  steady  heat  and  at  the  same  time 
giving  the  patient  something  to  think  of  beside  his 
abdomen.     Some  reason  can  also  be  found  in  the 
prescription  to  prevent  Rheumatism  :  "wear  washed 
wool   under  the   feet";  and    for    Shrunk   Sinews, 
"rub  the  part  every  morning  with  fasting  spittle"; 
this  had  been  tried;  also  that  for  Skin  rubbed  off 
"apply  a  bit  of  white  paper  with  spittle." 

Doctor  Hancocke  had,  a  quarter  of  a  century  be- 
fore, found  cold  water  taken  internally  the  universal 
febrifuge,  if  not  a  panacea;  and  Wesley  is  a  be- 

—  ■ —  r 

'What  Svrtenham's  English  version  as  trnnslaled  by  Pr.  John 
Pechcv,  savs  is  "I  order  a  live  Killing  to  lie  always  upon  the  naked 
Pellv.''     Fonrth  eHition,    London,    170?.  p.   34- 


!    I    ' 


Riiidttl:  Weslty's  System  of  Medicine. 

Hever  in  its  virtues  in  msui>  diseases.    In  his  preface 
he  says,  "Water  is  the  wholesomest  of  all  drinks, 
it  quickens  the  appetite  and  strengthens  the  diges- 
tion most."    For  Ague,  he  recommends  to  drink  a 
?uart  of  cold  water,  then  go  to  bed  and  sweat ;  for 
Lsthma,  a  pint  of  cold  water  every  morning;  for 
Cholera  Morbus,  "two  or  three  quarts  of  cold  water, 
if  strong,  of  warm  water,  if  weak" ;  for  a  Cold,  a 
Cough  or  a  Cholic,  Palpitation  of  the  Heart,  or  a 
s^re  Throat,  a  pint  of  cold  water  lying  down  is  a 
tried  remedy,  while  for  a  Jever,  "I  never  knew  it 
to  do  hurt."  For  a  Bloody  Flux,  'drink  cold  water 
as  largely  as  possible,  taking  nothing  till  the  flux 
stops.      He  knew  a  gentleman  who  was  cured  of 
Gout  in  the  Stomach  many  times  by  a  draught  of 
cold  water ;  and  rold  water  alone  drunk  largely  will 
not  only  stop  Profuse  .Sweating,  but  it  has  even 
cured  the  Plague.    Half  a  pint  of  cold  water  every 
morning  will  prevent  Stone  in  the  Kidneys,  a  pint 
will  cure  Palpitation  of  the  Heart ;  but  to  "'  •    or 
cure   Stone   in   the   Bladder   the   suffc.er   o.iould 
•'drink  largely  of  water  impregnated  with  fixed  air." 
He  gives  a  method  of  making  this :   "Dissolve  fif- 
teen grains  of  salt  of  tartar  in  six  spoonfuls  of 
water,  to  which  add  as  much  water  acidulated  with 
oil  of  vitriol  as  will  neutralize  the  salt.    They  are 
to  be  gradually  mixed  with  each  other  so  as  to  pre- 
vent the  effervescence  or  dissipation  of  the  fixed 
air  as  much  as  possible." 

The  greatest  triumph  of  cold  water,  however,  is 
this :  "A  Farmer  aged  seventy  in  a  confirmed 
ascites  was  given  over  for  dead.  Being  desperate, 
he  drank  three  quarts  of  cold  water  every  four  and 
twenty  hours.  His  whole  food  meantime  was  Sea 
biscuit,  sometimes  with  a  little  butter.  For  sixteen 
days  he  seemed  worse.  Then  he  discharged  for 
near  a  week  a  vast  quantity  of  water  and  was  soon 
free  from  his  disease,  which  never  returned." 

Warm  water  is  prescribed  for  .the  prevention  of 
Stone,  a  pint  daily  just  before  Hinner,  preferably 
with  a  large  onion  sliced  in  it       .  is  used  also  as 


Riddell:  WesUys  Systi  >n  jf  Medicint. 

an  emetk.  Sea  Water  every  other  day  will  cure 
Swelled  Glandb  in  the  Neck;  for  Shingles,  drmk 
sea  water  for  a  week  every  morning,  toward  the 
close,  bathe  also."  ,_     ,    v 

About  the  time  of  the  first  edition,  or  shortly  be- 
fore, the  well  known  Bishop  Berkeley  had  strongly 
advocated  the  use  of  tar  water;  and  Wesley  is 
warmly  in  favor  of  it  for  many  diseases.    He  gives 
a  direction  for  making  it  thus:    "Put  a  gallon  of 
cold  water  to  a  quart  of  Norway  tar.    Stir  them  to- 
gether with  a  flat  stick  lor  five  or  six  m.     te^ 
After  it  has  stood  covered  for  three  days,  pour  oft 
the  water,  clear,  bottle  and  cork  it."     It  is  recom- 
mended for  St.  Anthony's  Fire  externally  and  in- 
ternally, internally  for  Asthma.     "A  Cancer  unde« 
the  eye  was  cured  by  drinking  a  quart    i    :ir  watev 
daily,  washing  the  same  with  it,  and  th'     .  pplymg 
a  pfaister  of  tar  and  mutton  suet  melted  together. 
It  was  well  in  two  months  though  of  twenty  years' 
standing."    Drunk  twice  a  day  it  has  cured  Dropsy ; 
a  large  glass  warm  every  hour  cures  Fever;  half 
a  pint  morning  and  evening  for  three  months  is  a 
Specific  for  the  Falling  Sickness  and  the  Scurvy, 
and  cures  the  Palsy ;  a  glass  taken  warm  every  half 
hour  is  good  for  Pleurisy,  and  less  frequently  for 
Stoppage  in  the  kidneys.    All  these  pale  into  insig- 
nificance, however,  when  compared  with  the  fol- 
lowing:   "Take  tar  water  morning  and  eveninp; 
this  is  a  tried  m  dicine  for  Old  Age  and  will  proba- 
bly renew  the  Strength  for  some  years." 

It  is  at  least  curious  that  tar  water  is  not  recom- 
mended for  smallpox,  for  which  it  is  especially 
urged  as  a  remedy  by  ]3erkeley. 

The  cold  bath  is  an  especial  favorite  with  Wes- 
ley ;  he  recommends  it  for  Ague,  Tertian  or  otiier- 
wise,  Apoplexy,  Cancer  in  the  Breast  ("this  has 
cured  many").  Chin  Cough  or  Hooping  Cough. 
Nervous  Cholic  (i.  e.,  "a  cholic  with  purging,  some 
term  them  watery  gripes"),  Consumption  ("cold 
bathing  has  cured  many  deep  Consumptions, 
Tried"),  Convulsion,  Corns,  an  Inveterate  Cough 


I 


i     i 


.     =i 


Riddell:  H'cslcy's  System  of  Medicine. 


11 


("it  seldom  fails").  Deafness,  the  Dropsy  (after 
purging),  the  Falling  Sickness,  a  slow  Fever, 
Hemicrania,  Leprosy  ("in  this  disease  the  skin  in 
many  parts  is  covered  with  rough  whitish  scaly 
pustules,  if  these  are  rubbed  off,  with  a  kind  of 
scaly  scurf"),  the  Palsy,  Sciatica,  Scorbutic 
Atrophy  ("also  ...  all  Scorbutic  pains"), 
Stone  in  the  Kidneys,  Vertigo,  Torpor  or  Numb- 
ness of  the  Limbs,  Tympany  or  Windy  Dropsy,  in- 
voluntary Urine.  It  will  be  seen  that  he  in  his 
medical  directions  applied  his  own  well  known 
maxim:  "Cleanliness  is  next  to  Godliness."  It  is 
curious,  however,  that  sea  bathing  is  not  more  in 
favor.  V^ery  rarely  indeed  is  a  warm  bath  advised, 
i.  e.,  for  the  Iliac  Passion  and  St.  Anthony's  Fire. 

After  water,  warm  lemonade  is  the  favorite 
drink.  "For  Bilious  Cholic  drink  warm  lemonade, 
I  know  nothing  like  it,"  also  for  Hysteric  Cholic; 
in  an  Intermitting  Fever,  "drink  warm  lemonade  in 
the  beginning  of  every  fit,  it  cures  in  a  few  days. 
Tried" ;  the  Stranguary ;  Urine  by  Drops  with  Heat 
and  Pain,  and  .Suppression  of  the  Urine  are  all 
benefited  by  drinking  warm  lemonade,  and  it  is  use- 
ful to  produce  and  "continue  a  long  sweat  in 
Oiiartan  Agues."  Wesley  does  not  seem  ever  to 
have  used  cold  lemonade. 

Apple  water  made  by  pouring  boiling  water  on 
sliced  apples  is  recommended  in  Asthma. 

Curiously  encnjlr  milk  as  a  beverage  receives 
little  notice.  A  pint  of  new  milk  taken  niorninq; 
and  evening  has  cured  an  inveterate  Asthma :  milk 
and  milk  porridge  are  the  proper  breakfast  for 
children,  and  milk  should  be  given  warm  from  the 
cow  every  morning  in  Hooping  Cough ;  in  Con- 
sumption, "use  as  a  common  drink  Si)ring  water 
and  new  milk  each  a  quart"  or  "a  pint  of  Skimmed 
milk  with  half  a  pint  of  small  beer."  But  in  the 
last  stage,  "suck  a  healthy  woman  daily.  This 
cured  my  father."  In  diabetes,  "let  your  drink  be 
milk  and"  water."  To  cure  Night  Sweats,  "drink  a 
gill  of  warm  milk  at  lying  down." 


Riddcll:   Wesley's  System  of  Medicine. 

I  have  within  this  present  year  known  apple 
water  made  in  this  way  with  Spitzenberg  apples  ad- 
ministered for  rheumatism,  apparently  with  good 
effect — or  was  it  simply  imagination? 

Perhaps  there  should  be  mentioned  here  a  pre- 
scription which  W'eslev  quotes  but  does  not  vouch 
for.  "Dr.  Chyne  says'  a  total  Ass  milk  diet,  about 
two  quarts  a  day  without  any  other  food  or  drink 
will  cure  a  confirmed  cancer.'"  ("Dr.  Chyne"  was 
Dr.  George  Cheyne  (1671-1743),  one  of  the  earliest 
vegetarians,  who,  born  in  Abertleenshire  and  edu- 
cated at  Edinburgh  under  Pitcairn,  practised  at 
London  and  Bath.  He  wrote  on  Mathematics  as 
well  as  Medicine,  Dietetics,  and  Natural  Theology, 
•'an  all-round  man.")  Wesley's  tried  remedy  for  a 
cancer  is  "Take  horse  spurs  (a  kind  of  warts  that 
grow  on  the  inside  of  the  horse's  forelegs) ,  dry  them 
bv  the  fire,  till  they  will  beat  to  powder.  Sift  and 
infuse  two  drachms  in  two  quarts  of  ale :  drink  half 
a  pint  every  six  hours,  new  milk  warm.  It  has 
cured  many.     Triejl. 

In  the  preface,  he  advises  to  take  always  such  a 
sort  and  such  a  measure  of  food  as  sits  light  and 
easy  on  the  stomach,  eschewing  pickled  or  smoked 
or  salted  food  and  all  that  is  high  seasoned.  For 
studious  persons  about  eight  ounces  of  animal  food 
and  twelve  ounces  of  vegetable  in  twenty-four 
hours  is  sufficient;  strong,  and  more  especially 
spirituous  liquors,  are  a  certain,  though  slow  poi- 
son, and  experience  shows  that  there  is  very  sel- 
dom an\-  danger  in  leaving  them  off  at  once.  In 
the  body  of  the  book  not  much  is  said  alxiut  diet 
in  sickness.  "One  in  a  deep  Consumption  was  ad- 
vised to  drink  nothing  but  water,  and  eat  nothing 
but  water-gruel  without  salt  or  sugar.  In  three 
months'  time  he  was  perfectly  well."  "Take  no 
food  but  new  buttermillc  churned  in  a  bottle,  ;md 
white  bread.  I  have  known  this  to  succeed 
in  Consumption."  For  scurvy,  "live  on  tur- 
nips for  one  montli" :  for  Costivcness,  "live 
upon     bread     made     of     wheat     flour,     with     all 


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Riddell:  Wesley's  System  of  Medicine. 

the  bran  in  it";  for  a  Raging  Madness,  "let 
him  eat  nothing  but  apples  for  a  month,"  and 
in  Nervous  Disorders,  a  full  dietary  is  given.  So 
also  in  a  Dry  Asthma,  the  patient  is  to  use  "food 
light  and  easy  of  digestion.  Ripe  Fruit  baked, 
boiled  or  roasted,  are  very  proper."  For  the 
Asthma,  "live  for  a  fortnight  on  boiled  carrots 
only;  it  seldcmi  fails."  For  the  Falling  Sickness, 
"use  an  entire  milk  diet  for  three  months;  it  sel- 
dom fails."  For  Extreme  Fat,  "use  a  total  vege- 
table diet.  I  know  one  who  was  entirely  cured 
of  this  by  living  a  year  thus;  she  breakfasted  and 
supped  on  milk  and  water  (with  bread)  and  dined 
on  turnips,  carrots,  and  other  roots,  drinking  wa- 
ter"; in  a  Dysentery,  "feed  on  rice,  saloup,  sago, 
and  sometimes  beef  tea,  but  no  flesh" ;  in  a  Raging 
Madness,  "let  him  eat  nothing  but  apples  for  a 
month"  or  "nothing  but  bread  and  milk.  Tried." 
For  Rheumatism,  "live  on  new  milk,  whey,  and 
white  bread  for  fourteen  days;  this  has  cured  a 
desperate  case."  "In  a  Stubborn  Rheumatism,  let 
your  diet  be  barley-gruel,  with  currants,  roasted 
apples,  fresh  wheys  and  light  puddings."  "In 
smallpox,  let  your  whole  food  be  milk  and  water 
united  with  a  little  white  bread"  or  "milk  and 
apples." 

Wesley  has  very  few  medicines  whose  virtues 
consisted  simply  in  their  nastiness.  Eh-y  Zibethun 
Occideniale,  i.  e.,  Stercus  humanum  for  films  on 
the  eye,  Stercus  bovinum  warmed  and  spread  on 
leather,  used  hot  as  a  topical  application  for  a 
Windy  Rupture,  Ear  wax  for  White  Specks  in  the 
Eye,  and  Goose  Dung  and  Celandine  on  a  plaster 
for  cancer,  exhaust  the  list. 

He  has  many  of  the  usual  remedies  which  were 
in  vog^e  at  the  time  and  most  of  which  will  be 
found  in  Buchan ;  and  he  applied  them  in  no  mari- 
ner differing  from  others.  Tarter  Emetic  and 
Ipecacuanha,  Valerian  and  Wormwood,  Horserad- 
ish, and  Carduus  Benedictus,  Quince,  Bramble  and 
Burdock  Leaves,  Pennyroyal  and  Magnesia,  Balm 

8 


1  i. 


Riddell:  Wesley's  System  of  Medicine. 


of  Gilead,  Balsam  of  Peru,  Cinquefoil  Tea,  Sweet 
Oil  and  Balsam  of  Capivi,  and  scores  of  others 
which  call  for  no  remark. 

He  is  thoroughly  convinced,  however,  that  elec- 
tricity comes  the  nearest  to  a  universal  medicine  of 
any  yet  known  in  the  world  and  recommends  it 
on  almost  all  occasions— for  Bruises,  Baldness, 
Bums,  and  Scalds,  Deafness,  Dropsy,  Epilepsy, 
Headache,  Lunacy,  Obstruction  of  the  Menses, 
Nervous  Disorders,  Palpitation  of  the  Heart,  even 
for  the  Tooth  Ach,  etc.,  etc. 

Wesley's  views  of  infection  are  worth  noticmg: 
"To  prevent  catching  any  infectious  fever  do  not 
breathe  near  the  face  of  the  sick  person,  neither 
swallow  your  spittle  in  the  room.  Infection  seizes 
the  Stomach  first." 

Some  of  his  prescriptions  are  models.  For  ex- 
ample, his  first  for  Costiveness  is  simply,  "rise 
early  in  the  morning" ;  for  the  Whites,  "live  chaste- 
ly. Feed  sparingly,  use  exercise  constantly.  Sleep 
moderately,  but  never  lying  on  your  back." 

Of  exercise,  in  the  body  of  the  work,  our  author 
has  not  much  to  say.  In  the  preface,  he  seems  al- 
most to  look  upon  the  penalty  "In  the  sweat  of  thy 
face  shalt  thou  eat  bread"  as  a  blessing,  for  that 
is  "one  grand  preventative  of  pain  and  sick- 
ness of  all  kinds  ...  the  power  of  exercise  both 
to  preserve  and  restore  health  is  greater  than  can 
well  be  conceived,  especially  in  those  who  .  .  . 
observe  both  that  kind  and  measure  of  food  which 
experience  shows  to  be  most  friendly  to  health  and 
strength."  He  adds,  "A  due  degree  of  exercise  is 
indispensibly  necessary  to  health  and  long  life  .  .  . 
walking  is  the  best  exercise  for  those  who  are  able 
to  bear  it,  riding  for  those  who  are  not  .  .  .  the 
studious  ought  to  .  .  .  exercise  at  least  two  or 
three  hours  a  day."  . 

In  the  body  of  the  book,  those  troubled  with  ner- 
vous disorders  are  advised  to  rise  early,  and  as 
soon  the  dew  is  off  the  ground,  walk;  those  with 
the  Whites  to  exercise  constantly,  and  also  those 


'      i 


I 


Riddell:  Wesley's  System  of  Medicine. 

with  the  Quartan  Ague  or  Dry  Asthma;  but  the 
value  of  exercise  for  the  sick  is  not  otherwise  em- 
phasized. No  doubt,  Wesley  thought  the  advice 
in  his  preface  sufficient. 

One  element  in  his  Materia  Medica  would  ex- 
cite a  smile  in  any  one  unfamiliar  with  the  concep- 
tions of  vis  medicatrix  at  the  time;  the  ash  of 
scarlet  cloth  blown  into  mouth  or  throat  seldom 
fails  in  Cancer  in  the  Mouth  or  Thrush.  It  must 
not  be  supposed  that  Wesley  followed  the  usual 
practice  slavishly.  If  one  were  to  take  a  contem- 
porary work  on  the  practice  of  medicine,  he  would 
be  certain  to  fiiid  the  remedies  most  in  vogue, 
pretty  much  in  this  order :  bleeding,  purging,  vom- 
iting, salivation,  opiates,  Peruvian  bark,  steaming. 

Bleeding  is  not  generally  recommended  by  Wes- 
ley ;  we  find  it  directed  only  for  a  Tertian  Ague ;  for 
Apoplexy  (if  not  after  a  full  meal)  ;  in  a  Fever  "if 
the  Stomach  is  uneasy,  vomit;  if  the  bowels,  purge, 
if  the  pulse  be  full  hard  of  Strong,  bleed" ;  and 
Menses  Nimii. 

Purging  is  advised  in  the  case  of  a  Tertian  .'\gue 
after  Measles.  For  obstruction  of  the  Menses,  "eight 
or  ten  grains  of  Calomel  both  vomits  and  purges," 
T'alsy  of  the  Hands,  the  Sciatica,  Tympany  or 
Windy  Dropsy. 

A  Vomit  (gentle)  is  recommended  for  Ague,  for 
Apoplexy  (if  after  a  meal),  a  Dry  Asthma,  some- 
times in  Heart  Burning;  for  Vertigo,  "take  a  vomit 
or  two." 

Salivation  is  not  advised  at  all.  Quicksilver  is 
recommended  in  its  metallic  form  for  Twisting  of 
the  Guts  "Many  at  the  point  of  death  have  been 
cured  by  taking  one,  two,  or  three  pounds  of  quick- 
silver," for  which  Pareus  (i.  e.,  Ambrose  Pare)  is 
cited  as  authority,  and  there  is  inserted  for  th;; 
sake  of  innocent  sufferers  a  cure  for  Lues  Vene- 
rea :  "Take  an  ounce  of  quicksilver  every  morn- 
ing and  a  spoonful  of  Aqua  Sulphurata  in  a  glass 
of  water  at  five  in  the  afternoon.  I  have  known  a 
person  cured  by  this  when  supposed  to  be  at  the 

10 


Riddell:  Wesley's  System  c       'cdiane. 

point  of  death,  who  had  been  infected  by  a  foul 
nurse  before  she  was  a  year  old."  In  the  Green 
sickness,  take  an  ounce  of  quicksilver  every  morn- 
ing; for  the  Iliac  Passion,  "take  »  .nee  by  ounce, 
a  pound  or  a  pound  and  a  half  of  quicksilver,"  fol- 
lowing Doctor  Tissot's  prescription;  for  Worms, 
"boil  four  ounces  of  quicksilver  an  hour  in  a  quart 
of  clear  water,  pour  it  oflf  and  bottle  it  up;  you 
may  use  the  same  quicksilver  again  and  again.  Use 
this  for  a  common  drink  ....   for  a  week  or 

two For  Ast'.ima  or  the  Whites,  take  an 

ounce  of  quicksilver  every  morning  and  a  spoonful 
of  Aqua  Sulphurata  at  five  in  the  evening,  and  in 
Nervous  Cholic  take  these  daily  for  a  month." 

Opiates  are  very  seldom  recommended.  In  the 
hot  fit  of  an  Ague,  if  it  should  be  violent,  eight  or 
ten  drops  of  laudanum  are  prescribed;  in  an  Hys- 
teric Cholic,  twenty  drops  in  the  form  r,f  a  clyster; 
in  Epilepsy,  "five  cr  six  drops  .  .  .  fasting  for  six 
or  seven  mornings.  This  hr.s  cured  many."  In  a 
Bloody  Flux,  four  drops;  for  Inability  to  Sleep, 
opium  is  forbidden  and  camphor  prescribed  in  its 
stead. 

Bark  is  directed  to  be  chewed  and  the  spittle 
swallowed  so  long  as  i:  is  bitter,  in  case  of  a  cough ; 
to  prevent  profuse  Sweating,  a  tincture  of  Peru- 
vian Bark  in  spirit  of  vitriol ;  for  "Falling  of  the 
Whomb,"  the  same;  for  Scorbutic  Gums,"  wash 
them  daily  with  a  decoction  of  the  Peruvijui  Bark." 
Steaming  as  always  much  in  vogue  with  empi- 
rics on  this  side  ot  the  Atlantic.  Wesley  does  not 
seem  to  have  built  much  on  it.  For  Strangury, 
"sit  over  the  steam  of  warm  water";  "Indolent 
Sweatings  are  often  cured  by  warm  steams." 

In  one  of  his  piefaces  he  says:  "I  have  omitted 
(together  with  Antimony)  the  four  Herculean 
medicines.  Opium  (except  in  a  very  few  cases), 
the  ^ark.  Steel  and  most  of  the  prepa.'ations  of 
Quicksilver"  which  are  "far  too  strong  for  com- 
mon men  to  battle  with  "  Antimony  he  prescribes 
only  once  and  that  in      most  mitigated  form :  Sul- 


r'it 


II 


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Riddell:  Wesley's  System  of  Medicine. 

phur  of  Antimony  on  a  chafing  dish  of  coals,  and 
the  fumes  received  by  a  funnel,  in  Obstruction; 
Steel  filings  ground  into  a  powder  with  red  sugar 
candy  are  given  in  Green  Sickness  as  an  infallible 
remedy ;  Opium,  the  Bark  and  Quicksilver  we  have 
already  discussed. 

Another  favorite  treatment  of  the  time,  i.  e.,  the 
Seton,  is  advised  only  once — in  the  neck  to  pre- 
vent a  relapse  in  cases  of  Apoplexy ;  as  it  is  accom- 
panied by  a  direction  for  low  diet,  it  is  probable  it 
would  do  no  great  harm.  An  Issue  in  the  Thigh,  he 
says,  will  cure  a  Quinsy  of  the  Breast. 

He  gives  a  formula  for  Daffy's  Elixir  and  Tur- 
lington's Balsam — the  latter  under  the  name  of 
Friar's  Balsam  was  in  every  farm  house  fifty  years 
ago.  He  recommends  Doctor  Hardwicke's  fever 
powder  at  one  shilling  an  ounce  instead  of  Doctor 
James's  powder  at  half  a  crown  a  packet — "if  it 
be  not  the  same,  it  will  answer  the  sanie  end." 

Wesley  is  not  dead  to  the  importance  of  calling 
in  a  skilled  physician  or  surgeon.  We  have  seen 
what  he  said  in  his  prefaces.  In  Apoplexy,  after 
giving  the  remedies  to  be  applied,  he  adds:  "But 
send  for" a  good  physician  immediately";  in  case  of 
the  Rite  of  a  Mad  Dog,  he  says:  "X.  B.  Imme- 
diately consult  an  honest  physician";  while  his  di- 
rectif>ns  in  case  of  wounds  are  only  to  be  followed 
"if  you  have  not  an  honest  surgeon  at  hand."  What 
a  "good  or  honest  physician  or  surgeon"  is,  appears 
by  what  he  says  in  his  prefaces. 

It  will  be  found  that  Wesley's  treatment  ^f  dis- 
eases was  at  least  as  reconcilable  with  common 
sense  as  that  of  the  contemporary  regular  oracti- 
tioner,  much  more  so  in  most  cases.  Of  it,  at  least, 
it  could  be  said  (what  he  says  of  cold  water  in 
fever)  "it  did  no  great  harm." 

A  remark  interesting  to  Americans  is  his  state- 
ment about  Nettle  Rash:  "In  Georgia,  we  call  it 
The  Prickly  Heat";  he  had  not  forgotten  and 
never  did  forget  his  sojourn  in  the  "Southern 
Colony." 

OsGooDE  Hall. 


